Hanger-strap for street-cars.



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W. R. SENFTLE. HANGER STRAP FOR STREET CARSL APPLICATION man MAR. la;1915. nENawx-:D nic. 26. 191s.

1,2365609, PatentegAug.14,1917.

Fig, li.

INVENTDR ATTDRNEYE.

` Leganes.

WILLIAM R, SfENFTLE, OF BUFFALO, NEW" YGRK.

HANGER-STRAP FOR STREETLCARS.

specification@ Ltters Patent.

Patenten Aug. 11, 1917.

' Application filed-March 18, 1915, SeriaI'No. 15,271. Renewed December26, 1916. Serial No. 139,049.

To @ZZ 'whom traag/concern." j

j Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. SENFTLE,

a' citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented new and useful ImprovementsinHanger-Straps for Street- Cars, of which the following -isa specifi'-tion.

This invention relates to hanger-straps -or handholds for street andother cars and more particularly straps of this character having' a gripor loop of sheet metal or other rigid material.

lVhile straps of this kind have certain advantages over ordinary leatherstraps, their hardness and rigidity render them more liable to injurepassengers and mar the wood work and other parts of the car.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of simple andeffective means for checking or retarding the swinging of thehangerstrap, to avoid the above objections, while at the same timepermitting the necessary freedom of movement of the strap as well astwisting thereof when grasped by a passenger, in order that it may be ascomfortable as the ordinary leather strap.

A further object is the production of a neat and comfortablehanger-strap which'is strong and durable in construction.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional edge view of the improved hanger-strap suspendedfrom a car-ceiling or other suitable support. Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation of the strap at right angles to Fig. l. Figs. 3 and 4 aretransverse sections on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is a cross section of the grip showing a modification thereof.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

l indicates the grip or loop of the hangerstrap which may be of anysuitable construction. In its preferred form, it has a convex inner faceand a channeled or concave outer face and is stamped from a blank orstrip of sheet metal of appropriate thickness having its marginalportions 2 doubled upon itself. These marginal portions meet in a joint3 extending lengthwise of the grip and located centrally on the outerside of the grip, as shown in Fig. 3. However, if desired, the joint maybe located on the convex or inner side of the grip, as shown at 3a inFig. 5.

, The strap is suspended from the car-oeil ing vor other support by anysuitable mea-ns, the preferred device shown in the drawings consistingof a pin or stem 4 seated in a socket 5 secured to the car-ceiling andconfined therein by a transverse bolt 6, as shown `in the drawings. Theupper'end of the'grip' is connected with the stem 4 by a chain or otherflexible connection 7 which may be welded or otherwise fastened to saidparts. Surrounding this chain is a flexible or resilient restrainingtube 8 which is adapted to prevent undue swinging -motion of thehanger-strap when hanging freely and yet allow it to twist more or lessand sway with the passenger when grasped by him. In the preferredembodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the tube 8 consistsof a do-uble spiral spring which is welded or otherwise fastened at itslower end to the upper end of the grip, as shown at 9, while its upperend surrounds the stem 4. When such a double spring is employed, theconvolutions 8d of the inner windings preferably break joint with thoseof the outer winding, to produce a practically closed flexibleconnection between the grip and the suspension member 4. 4The latterextends a short distance into the tube so that only the portion of thetube below said stem is capable of iexion.

hile a double spring is preferred, a single spring may be used, ifdesired.

By this construction, the chain 7 receives the strain exerted on thehanger-strap by the passenger while the tube 8 prevents undue swaying ofthe strap when free, which would be permitted by the chain without sucha restraining element.

The most satisfactory results are obtained by constructing the tubularconnection 8 in the form of a spring, but I do not wish to be confinedto such an elastic tube, inasmuch as a flexible non-resilient tube wouldrestrain the hanger-strap and is therefore regarded as coming within thescope of my invention.

If desired, the grip 1 may be coated with enamel or other suitablematerial which renders the grip non-absorbent and sanitary.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hanger-strap, comprising a fiexible connection adapted to beattached to a support, a grip carried by said connection, and flexiblemeans for resisting swaying of the o'rip.

o 2. A hanger-strap, comprising a. exible Connection adapted to beattached to a sup- )ort a Uri carried b said connection and 7 C 9 aflexible tube surrounding said connection. 8. A hanger-strap, comprisinga flexible connection adapted to be attached to a support, a gripcarried by said connection, and a restraining spring surrounding saidconnection.

4. A hanger-strap, comprising a flexible connection adapted to beattached to a support, a grip carried by said connection, and

a flexible tube surrounding said connectionl and attached to the grip.

5. A hanger-strap, comprising a grip, a

'said suspension member.

6. A hanger-strap, comprising a grip, a

flexible connection carrying said grip and adapted'to be attached to asupport, and a tubular restraining spring surrounding said connection,said spring consisting of inner and outer convolutions arranged to breakjoints. A WILLIAM R. SENFTLE.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 6.

